Goal 3 aims to ensure health and well-being for all, at every stage of life. While there has been significant improvement in global health in the last two decades, further progress is needed. For example, the global rate of maternal mortality decreased 44% between 1990 and 2015, yet most maternal deaths are preventable. In sub-Saharan Africa, only 53% of live births are accompanied by expert care during delivery. Globally, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the biggest cause of death, responsible for 70% of all deaths. However, more than half of all deaths in low-income countries are due to communicable diseases, nutritional deficiencies and conditions arising during pregnancy or childbirth.

Neonatal mortality is highest in Central and Southern Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and lack of safe water, sanitation and hygiene services are major risk factors for infectious diseases and mortality. Death rates in these regions due to these factors were two to four times that of the global average. In addition, the incidence of HIV infection remains highest in sub-Saharan Africa.

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While health funding has increased since 2005, rising rates of NCDs and compounding factors result in a lack of adequate healthcare and poor health conditions. Addressing this will require extending access to health information and personnel as well as improving funding models.

Several key changes required include: Increased access to healthcare workers; Insufficient doctor and healthcare worker density is a problem in many parts of the world, limiting progress towards universal access to healthcare.

Improved sanitation: Rapidly growing cities could further strain overburdened systems and spread infectious diseases. Educating communities on how infections spread has significant potential to improve health outcomes. Improving water treatment infrastructure will also help improve sanitation and water quality conditions.

New investment models and tools for funding: Collaborative models such as impact investing or public-private partnerships will be crucial to access healthcare funding required to meet Goal 3.

Reducing environmental toxicity: An estimated 12.6 million deaths each year (nearly one in four of total deaths) are attributable to unhealthy environments. In the coming years, climate change poses a significant health challenge. Building more efficient infrastructure, transport and manufacturing systems can help reduce pollutants in the air, water and soil, in turn reducing the risk of both non-communicable and infectious diseases.

Improved nutrition: A lack of access to nutritious foods is a key contributor to poor health (see Goal 2 for more discussion).

Low power technology is starting to enable the collection and utilization of the mass of continuous data which our bodies provide. having access to new, richer, real-time information we couldn’t collect before will enable the healthcare industry to deliver faster, more effective treatment – provided we can continue to develop the infrastructure required to support it.Peter Ferguson, Arm

The biggest obstruction to reaching SDG 3 is the need for new ways of working and moving beyond traditional pharmaceutical business models.Anne Gaadegard, Novo Nordisk

The amount of information we now have at a molecular level is changing the way we look at medicine.Dr Maria Freire, Foundation for the National Institutes of Health

the biggest healthcare challenge which technology will need to tackle by 2030 is the interaction between climate change and health.Jody Ranck, RAM Group

In developing markets, technology enables the health workforce to be registered; this can support quick and effective deployment of resources, as well as access to training and information.Leslie-Anne Long, PATH

70%Of under 18s without access to education are from sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia

263mPeople under 18 globally are without access to education

Only 63% of children worldwide finish secondary school

According to UNESCO, there is
a financing gap of $26 billion
per year to achieve universal
education – this is greatest in
developing nations with large
youth populations. For example,
India’s youth comprises over
50% of its population, but only
about 25% are employable
after graduation. This is also
a business issue as educated
workers are better equipped to
become productive employees
as well as consumers with
disposable income.

There is a need to transcend the imperial ivory tower mentality and create a global standard in education. Smartphones and phone based curriculums can be a major part of this. Sherman Indhul, Transnet